FRONT-RUNNING mayoral hopeful Freddy Ferrer is close to winning the endorsement of the state’s most powerful Democrat, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The Manhattan-based Silver, who earlier this year described Ferrer’s lackluster campaign as being in “free-fall,” has told friends he’s likely to endorse Ferrer within the next few weeks, sources said.

Silver told The Post that he was “leaning” toward Ferrer but had yet to make a final decision.

“I think he’s a capable candidate,” said Silver, who handed Republican Mayor Bloomberg one of his biggest setbacks ever last month by killing the proposed West Side Stadium.

“I am looking to endorse, and I am leaning toward Freddy,” continued Silver, who added that the three other Democrats in the mayoral primary battle – C. Virginia Fields, Gifford Miller and Anthony Weiner – were “all friends” of his

Silver controls an enormous political apparatus, which could help Ferrer achieve the 40 percent primary vote needed to avoid a runoff.

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Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Peter Kalikow says billions of dollars in federal transit money will soon be lost – all because he was double-crossed by Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Rensselaer).

Kalikow told The Post that Silver and Bruno personally promised him that the MTA’s long-stalled multiyear capital plan would be approved by the end of June.

“They told me there was going to be a deal, and as far as I knew, there was going to be one, until I learned there wasn’t when I read the morning papers,” Kalikow recalled.

“We are having a hard time holding on to billions of dollars in federal funds because we keep promising the federal government that the capital plan will be approved any day. Now I think much of it is probably gone forever.”

Silver responded: “I would suggest Peter Kalikow go back to managing the MTA and not be a political operative for the governor,” who appointed Kalikow.